24 
that if he had the time and the power to do it, he would certainly 
do something for the Folkestone Natural History Society, so that 
they would?see at least Dr. Fitzgerald had done one thing—made 
one convert to the work, and he hoped there would be a great many 
more. He should ask them to accord Dr. Fitzgerald a vote of 
thanks, which was done. 
ELECTION OF OFFICERS, 
On the motion of Dr. ''yson, seconded by Mr. Hambridge, Dr 
Fitzgerald was re-elected president, Dr. Bowles, Dr. Tyson, and 
Dr. T. Eastes were elected vice-presidents, and the committee was 
composed as follows: The Mayor, the Rev. J. Burgess, the Rev. 
C. Bosanquet and Messrs. Walton, Scholey, Clark, and Smurth- 
waite. Mr. Ullyett was re-elected secretary. 
A conversation ensued as to arrangements for future meetings, 
and the Secretary said five papers had been promised, and it was 
suggested that members of other societies in- the county should be 
invited to read papers, in order that the monthly meetings might 
be held without interruption. 
A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. 
May 127TH, 1885. 
At this meeting the following paper by Mr. G. C. Walton, F.L.S., 
L.D.8., was listened to with great interest. The diagrams and 
specimens were carefully examined by the members. 
ON MOSSES. 
Mosses or Musci belong to the great division of the vegetable 
kingdom called Cryptogamia or Acotyledones. With the Hepaticc 
they constitute the group called Muscinece. It will only be neces- 
sary for us to note the chief points of agreement and of difference 
between these two families. They are both made up of cellular 
tissue—that is to say, there is no vascular or woody tissue in them 
—and reproduction in both is effected by means of organs called 
Antheridia and Pistillidia. In both what is called alternation of 
generations is very clearly defined. On the other hand, Mosses 
have always a leafy stem—the leaves in two, three, or four rows, 
being usually arranged in a spiral manner—whereas in many 
Hepatice only a Lichen-like thallus is produced (as in Marchantia). 
When there are leaves they are arranged not round the stem as in 
Mosses but in two opposite rows each leaf overlapping another. 
Mosses have a spore-capsule—at first green and finally brown— 
